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7 posts tagged 1840s

Dec
31

1830s Shift from the Workwoman’s Guide: Resources

Time for a new historical reproduction project! For frugality’s sake, I’m using an old bedsheet to make my next 1840s shift, which I am hand-sewing as a part of the Historical Sew Fortnightly’s first challenge, “Starting Simple”! (Hey, it’s kinda like calico, sort of! ;) But honestly I just love the idea of re-using cloth rather than throwing it out. Besides old bedsheets are super soft and comfortable). My goal is to sew the shift exclusively by hand, using period-accurate stitches that are detailed in the Workwoman’s Guide.

I’m just figuring out the sizes and whatnot now (yes… I’m a bit behind schedule for the HSF challenge, which is due tomorrow!). It seems like a great project to do while I wait for the black acid dye for my Lord of the Rings dress to come in the mail from Dharma Trading Co.

Following is a collection of resources to sew an 1830s/40s shift (aka chemise), following the directions in the Workwomans Guide from 1838.

Workwoman’s Guide, by A Lady — illustrated plates and written instructions: 

A great page of 1830s shifts and drawers, including a link to a diagram for the Workwoman’s Guide shift superimposed on an 1830s shift in the MFA Boston collection: 

Some great construction notes on shifts from this period and slightly earlier: 

Jul
29

Apr
24

Classic 1840s ballgown shape, with the amazing tightly tailored look of that decade. Too bad the dress doesn’t really fit on her mannequin! It’s interesting how the gathered waist actually follows the point in the front (see pictures at the link above) — what an unusual way to create this gown! I guess it ensures that the pointed front waist actually lies flat. The extremely pointed waist is similar to my wedding dress (which was actually based on a gown from slightly later, 1852). I just had the front point lie over the gathers in the dress though (the skirt was whipstitched to the bodice lining).

Classic 1840s ballgown shape, with the amazing tightly tailored look of that decade. Too bad the dress doesn’t really fit on her mannequin!

It’s interesting how the gathered waist actually follows the point in the front (see pictures at the link above) — what an unusual way to create this gown! I guess it ensures that the pointed front waist actually lies flat. The extremely pointed waist is similar to my wedding dress (which was actually based on a gown from slightly later, 1852). I just had the front point lie over the gathers in the dress though (the skirt was whipstitched to the bodice lining).